The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-09-08
DoNELsoN AND HENRY.
Something About the Service. of til. 4th Ill. Cav.

Something About the Services or the 9Th Ill. Cav.
EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: E. Il. Lee, in
his article on Fort Donelson, wonders why the
rebels did not strike out for Nashville on the
morning of the 18th of February after our in
Antry lines had been broken, as the way seemed
clear He says Gen. MeClernand said he had
posted two companies of the ID Ill. Cav. on
the road, and thinks perhaps that frightened
them back. don't know how that was, but /
know that the Attn Ill. Cav. was camped at
Randolph FORCES the night of the 14th. These
FORCES / think, were on the Nashville road, and
the hack water from the Cumberland came up
to that point, about two miles from Fort Donel-
son.
On our way back TO the fort the next morn
ing VIC met a force Of rebel infantry. 1t was in
a defile between two hills. We were 200
strong, and suppose made quite an imposing
appearance. The rebels halted so did we.
They did not offer to fight: neither did we.
They fell back and we followed them till Lew
Wallace got around them, when we di~mounted
and fell in to support the infantry. i have al
ways thought that our presence in their way
prevented their escape, although We did not
fire gun.
/ was Orderly for the Medical Director on
the 10th, the day of the surrender, and my
duties took me to all the hospitals and over the
most Of the battlefield. Such sights "a i saw
that day / shall never forget-men maugled
III III Vi pllto Oi letb, arms
legs thrown up in one corner of the room, and
burial parties burying the dead. / saw SO Of
the 3lst Ill. buried in one grave. / saw Gems.
Buckner and Johnson and the rebel prisoners as
they filed out of the fort to take the boat for
the North. They were the dest-lOoking set
of men ever saw.
Now / wish to say word about Fort Henry.
Historians have not given the 4th ILL., Cav. the
credit that is due for the part il took in that
engagement. or course il is well known that
the land forces did not cut much of a figure in
that engagement anyway; but all that was
done was done by the Sd battalion of the 4th
III. Cav. The 4th III. Cav. had the lead of
Grants army as il wendell its way through
back waters and bayOns and over almost i'm
passable roads to get in the rear Of Fort Henry
to assist Commodore FOOte in its capture. But
FoOte opened on the fort a little too soon. for
the fort surrendered in an hour and 10 minutes
after the first gun was fired, and the land forces
hadn't got around the fort yet; so the rebels
all skedaddled for Fort DonelsOn, excepting the
company of heavy artillery that manned the
guns, aud Gen. TiIghman.
As soon as il was discovered that the rebels
/ had left. the Sd battalion Of the 4th Cav under
| Maj. Mccullough, started in pursuit. 1t was a
complete rout The road was strewn with
knapsacks blankets, overcoats, etc We gave
| up the pursuit when night overlook u.s. having
killed 10 men and taken Al prisoners including
one Major aud Captain, and battery of seven
pieces. We had one man killed. History
gives the credit Of taking those guns to some
Michigan battery, think. All they had to do
to take the guns was to 30 out and bring them
| into Fort Henry. We met the battery boys,
with their horses, going out after the guns as
we were returning after dark. They asked the
Major to furnish an escort. This the Major re-
| fused 70 do, as we had been i'm the saddle since
early dawn. and horses and men We're very
much farigued; but said that if any of us had a
mind 10 volunteer we could do so. There was
about dozen of US volunteered to go back with
the battery boys for the guns. but they could not
hitch on to them owing to their disabled con-
dition. learned that they brought them in
| the next day. The 18th III. Cav. burned its first
/ powder at Henry aud Doneissn, and it is not
/ for me say that we won any laurels; but the
fact that Gen. Grant chose Co. A for his body
| guard before leaving Donelson, aud soon after
placed Col. t. Lyle Dickey TOUR Colonel) on
his staff as Chief Of Cavalry, is complimentary.
p. o. AVERY, Co. ], Attn Ill. Cav, Humboldt
| Neb.